Modulator



F/H. FERRIS.

MODULATOR,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. 1918.

Patented June 21,- 1321.

Wu: Five/HR):

' UNITED STATES FRED FERRIS, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

Monnnaron.

Specification 01f Letters Patent. Patent d J 21, 1921 Application filed December 20, 1913. Serial No. 267,690.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that I, F H. F ERRIS, a

citizen of the llnited Stittea. residing at" 1400 Harrison street, \Vilmington, in the county of New Castleand State of Dela- .ware, have invented new and useful Improvements in Modulators, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to talking machines,

also known as phonographs, and has for an object to provide a talking machine and that the tones and sounds produced can be increased or decreased in. volume by the mere operation of a suitable lever or other operating element provided, in conjunction, with a pallet, to bring about an increase or decrease of the area of the throat'of the tone or sound conveyer.

I am aware that various kinds of modu lating devices have been employed heretofore in connection with talking machines, for the purpose of modulating the tones and sounds produced,.but in a majority of these instances, the pallet or modulating device consistsof a-flat disk or plate disposed in the sound conveyerlor amplifier in such a manner that when it is desired to diminish the volume of sound or tone, the disk or plate is arranged to choke or partially choke the tone conveyor or amplifier. Similarly the modulation of the tones of a talking machine has been carried out by partially or entirely closing the larger end of the amplifier, through the medium of doors or slides. This latter form of arrangement however, again is but a choking off of the sounds and tones produced.

In my construction I aim to provide a modulating device which is so arranged that the modulation of the tones produced will be accomplished without the interposition, in the path of the sound, of any kind of an obstruction, the design, construction and ar-- r'nigeinent of my apparatus being based somewhat upon the principle ,of the restriction or modulation of the human voice, as it would issue from thethr oat and mouth of the producer.

In the further disclosure of the invention,

reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawings, constituting a part of this specn fibation, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in whicln Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a talking, chine, showing my construction applied thereto, parts being broken away to disclose the underlying structure with the modulator plate or element shown in full. lines in one position and dotted lines in another position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryhorizontal sectional View taken substantially on the line 2--2 in 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a slightly modified form of my invention, and

Fig. a is horizontal sectional View taken on'the line l-4 in Fig.

1 Referring more particularly to the views, the numeral 10 indicates a talking machine. comprising; the usual cabinet 11 on which is mounted a swinging tone arm 12, carrying a reproducer 13, to which is attached a needle or styius 14% adapted to operate over a record 15, mounted to rotate with a turn table iii.

In the makeup of the cabinet ll. there is formed a chamber 17 in which is arranged a horn or amplifier :18 having an end 19 open to the exterior of the cabinet. In the present instance I provide a sound conveyor 20, which consists of a vertically disposed tube 21 flared at its lower endand formed with the sound or tone conveyer, is the inner will restricted end of the amplifier 18. lit

of course be understood that the tone con-- veyer and amplifier can beinade iii-two parts and bolted together or OiJllQI'V/ISE) connected,

this being an obvious expedient.

At the juncture of the tone conveyor 20 and amplifier 18, there is formed a pocket 22,2111 extended oif-set portion 523 of the amplifier forming one part or side of the pocket and a downwardly extended. portion 24 of the tone conveyer, forming another part or side of the pocket, with the portion 24 having an opening 25. A pallet or modulater element 26 is mounted to swing upon the tone conveyor at E7 and is arran ged to back up against the opening 25, said modulator element being movable by means of a lever 28 into the position showi'rin'dotted lines, or into any intermediate position between thosewhich are shown in dotted and Iiull lines.

It. will now be noted that the modulator element does not restrict the normal of the sound from theto'ne arm 12,1; rough assage tion, consistent with the size of the amplifier, v

takes place. Should it be desired to modulate the tone and bring about that diminish ing effect, that oftentimes in certain reproductions is much desired, it is only necessary to swing the modulator element 26 toward the position in Which it is shown in full lines to accomplish the desired result. It will therefore be apparent that the desired diminishing effect is accomplished without interposing in the normal path of the sound travel, any form of obstruction." and that the desired result is brought. about by in creasing or decreasing the area of the pocket,

or in other" words, lengthening or shortening the depth of the tone conveyer.-

In Figs. 3, 4:, I disclose a modified form,

in which the tone 'conveyer or tube isindii= 1 red by the numeral 30 and the amplifie bythe numeral 31, the modulator element 32 being in the natureof a slide that can be moved upwardly or downwardly to increase .or decrease the size of the ofiiset pocket 33.

To this end the modulator element is pro vided with a handle 34: and is guided in its movement by the extended sidewalls 35 inner face or side of the modulator element 26, with a lining 37 of some soft material such a's felt, in order that a tight joint will be -maintained at the point 38, where the modulator element slides along the extended side 23 of the pocket. The structure described consists of few and simple arts and as mentioned heretofore, the device does not comprehend a choking up of the normal passage for the sound as it travels from the tone arm to and through the amplifier.

Having described my invention, I claim, A talking machine horn of right angular shape having its sides prolonged be end the outer Wall of the angle or elbow an having the outer wall of the elbow formed open,

an arcuate plate pivoted at one edge of the opening, a curved wall extending outwardly from the horn at. the opposite pivot point, said prolongations of the sides and said curved wall c'oiiperatin'g with said plate to form a pocket, and means for moving said plate whereby to vary the sizaof said pocket. In testimony whereof I afl'yx my signature.

, FRED H. FERRIS. 

